Three's a Charm!
Rowan Crosses for Protection
So, what exactly is a charm? Generally speaking, a charm is something that brings you goods luck. Most people today associate it with an object that you can wear, or carry on your person. Charms most commonly associate with good luck are a four-leaves clovers, a horseshoe, or perhaps a rabbits foot? So what makes these particular things especially lucky? Looking at this logically, was it as lucky for the poor rabbit, whose foot someone now carries in their pocket? Even then, to be really fortunate, traditionally, it had to be the back, left hind foot of a the rabbit to be really effective; as not any old foot will do!
This particular charm and its belief can be found in many & varied countries, and on several different continents; and no one really knows why? There were as many different ideas as to how exactly this poor rabbit needs to be caught and killed, as well as when and with what! Many possibly originating in the old folklore that Witches were able to shape shift, especially into the shape and form of a rabbit, or a hare. The famous Scottish Witch Isobel Gowdie, was said to have confessed (no doubt under considerable & prolonged torture), that she could shape-shift into such an animal, as you can read in this well known chant she claimed to use to turn herself into a hare, and then back into a woman:
“I shall go into a hare, With sorrow and with meickle care; And I shall go in the Devil’s name, Ay while I come home again”.
In order to change back she would then say:
“Hare, hare, God send thee care. I am in a hare’s likeness now, But I shall be in a woman’s likeness even now.”
Pitcairn 1833
So, was the original intention to cut the’ lucky animals foot’ from an already shape-shifted Witch; before she could transformed back into her human form? Many superstitions talk about shooting the animal at a full moon, or a new moon, sometimes with a silver bullet, and often on a Friday, and even more specifically on Friday 13th! We may never know? However, you can still buy a lucky rabbit foot in some places today; and I doubt any of them were ever shapeshifting witches. None the less, the idea that this is really lucky still persists in peoples minds today.
Maybe discovering a four leaf clover is a little simpler? Although this can also be as difficult, as you need to believe that it is going to be worth all the time & effort you will need to spend searching for these tiny rarities. The odds have been calculated to be something like 1 in 5,000; so if you are going to give it a try; good luck! The question then arises, do you already need to be quite lucky to ever find one?
There is also a belief that once found, each leaf is associated with a different type of good fortune. The first leaf represents ‘hope’ (which with those odds, you would definitely need before you started looking for one!), the second was ‘Faith’, the third leaf was said to bring you luck in love and the fourth was said to bring you general luck. If you were even luckier and found one with 5 leaves, that was considered to be even more fortunate; bring you good lucky with money!
Not unlike the rabbits foot, these little plants were also linked to magic. In 1869 it was noted that the best time to gather these lucky clovers was again during the full moon, mixed with powerful herbs, such as Vervain and oh, do not forget, they also had to be collected by a Sorceress!
Here in Ireland they are often related to St. Patrick, who used a clover leaf to explain the Holy Trinity. Yet, that in itself implies that clover leaf he used only had three leaves. Another very Irish association was that a four leaf clover that you had discovered granted you special powers, such as the ability to see the Fey!
So what of the lucky horseshoe? Originally these were made of Iron, a metal with a long history of warding off negative forces and evil spirits. These would also be nailed onto the horses hoof using 7 metal nails, a magical number with many lucky associations itself. There is also an old Christian legend linked to St. Dunstan, who lived in during 10th century. Before he ever became both Archbishop of Canterbury, in Kent, or was sainted, it was said that he worked as a Blacksmith. One day in walked the Devil, requesting Dunstan to shoe his horse. It is said he did not react to the sight of the Devil, and agreed to do as he had asked. However, instead of shoeing his horse, Dunstan managed to trick the Devil; shoeing him instead! The Devil was in severe agony, due to the magical iron now attached to his hoof. Dunstan however refused to remove the shoes, until the devil agreed that he would never enter any dwelling that displayed a horseshoe at its entrance. Thus people hung these iron horseshoes on every doorway they wished to protect from the Devil influence.
The luckiest horseshoes were also thought to be one that you discovered thrown by a passing horse on the road. However, in our modern world, cast off horseshoes are not as commonly found along the roadside as they would have been in times past. There is even argument as to which way up they are to be nailed to your door. Hung point up, it was thought they would hold the luck in, while point down it was said to pour the luck over you as you enter. Personally, I think points up is luckier, as I prefer the old belief that only a blacksmith (like our cunning Dunstan), was able to hang them points down; as that way the luck pours directly back onto the forge. This also being the place of their original creation, which has always been deeply stepped in magic and folklore in itself.
Sailors (who I think are possibly the most superstitious folk of all traditionally), were said to use a horseshoe nailed to the mast of their ships. They had the strong belief that by doing so, this would keep away storms and bad weather while they were sailing the high seas.
Horseshoes were also considered to be a traditional charm for a new bride to either be given, or to carry on her wedding day. Initially, to keep her protected from the envious eyes of other people, especially if they had the ability, consciously or unconsciously, to cast the evil eye. As well as to keep her safe from evil spirits.
A wedding horseshoe, traditionally carried by a bride on her wedding day to ensure good luck in her newly married life.
The symbol of a horseshoe itself is still seen as having the same magical power as the physical object itself. Even if it is no longer made of iron, which in the past, was a major part of its magical potency. Iron was believed to keep you safe from a host of supernatural creatures, which also reinforced its effectiveness. Iron Horseshoes were also thought to effectively keep witches away. Another reason why it may still be seen as a lucky charm.
A small straw good luck horseshoe. often hung within the home, or in a car, to ensure good luck is continually drawn towards you.
A charm can also be an object that is infused with a certain memory. It may reminds you of someone special, or of a particular place that you still have a strong connection too. Women will often wear charm bracelets, with each individual charm celebrating an important life change, such as the birth of a child.
A baby’s rattle especially created for a grandmother, as a gift for her new born grand daughter.
The rattle contained within it, three lovingly hand written wishes for this little girls future; such as happiness, success and protection.
Traditionally, charms did not always have to be physical. George Luck noted in ‘Witches and Sorcerers in Classical Literature” (Philadephia: University of Pennsylvania Press 1999). “Magical spells were often sung or chanted, and it was thought that the music - in itself a form of magic, thelxis -added to the power of the works and acts. In Latin, Carmen means’ song’ and ‘spell’. The English words ‘charming’ and ‘enchanting’ still reflect these ancient beliefs”.
These much older, oral forms of charm were not seen as being something that you wore or carry, like a lucky necklace or a special object; rather a spell to be recited or sung. Words have always had power, especially in a society when few people could read. Any spoken charm for good luck, or health was considered to be a charm. Often termed “Blessings”. In a world with no clocks to keep time, people used songs or chants to measure time, be that while they were cooking, or when someone required healing. To heal a burn people often spoke the ‘Three Mary’s Charm, the “Tres Mariea” or “Tres Verges” charm.
“There came three women from the East, One brought Fire, Two brought frost, Out fire! In frost! Out fire! In frost!”
The burnt area of the body being immersed in cold water as the charm was recited. Once it was removed from the cold water, it was then to be blown upon three times to be effective. Anyone familiar with first aid will understand why it has to be held under cold water, not only to soothe that pain, but also to remove the heat from the actual burn. Saying this charm would not only focus everyone attention on its curative power to heal (a significant factor in any healing process), but also allow enough time for the burn to be cooled, with or without the use of frost!
An example of a spoken charm traditionally used in Finland when cooking was recorded in The British Journal. (Bede Cuthbert. “Domestic Incantations” in Notes and Queries, Vol. 42 S (86) August 22, 1857, 145)
“…..The damsel who superintended the boiling of some eggs chanted a sing-song charm during the culinary process. This she repeated twice and turned herself around six times; the soft boiled eggs were then considered to be sufficciently done. She then repeated her verse for a third time, and turned herself around thrice; when the hard boiled eggs were deemed to be ready for eating. They had no clock, dial, clepsydra, hour glass, burning tapers, or any other method of measuring time necessary for the egg boiling, than this chanting of the song; and a kind of formula was repeated for similar domestic purposes, these “household words”, being supposed to depend for their efficiency upon the full belief in the charm they were presumed to cause.…”
Old saying such as “God bless you”, or simply “Bless you” when you sneeze is another form of verbal charm we are all more familiar with. It was originally believed that when you sneezed, you actually died during the duration of the sneeze itself. Someone else then saying “God bless you” was thought to be a magical charm, that would ensure the sneezers heart would start once again! My husband Wolf recalls being told as a child that sneezing was one of the first signs of the Black Death. So on hearing someone sneeze, if you said “God bless you:”, they may well be spared, by Gods Grace, from suffering that awful disease.
Charms were also used to avert evil, and have been used for hundreds of years. They can be found within all cultures, and used by many and varied people of totally different religious faiths; often for very similar reasons. The blue glass eye, from Turkey, known as the nazar boncuğu for example, can also be found in Greece, Egypt, Persian, many parts of India and elsewhere. It has become a universal symbol of protection against the dreaded ‘Evil Eye’, used in order to reflect back to its sender the malefic stare, that is thought to bring ill wishes upon its focus.
A North African Cage with blue glass Nazar. To add extra protection to an ancient home blessings; helping it to avert the evil eye.
Charms are still created to be worn, carried or hung in your home. They are thought to contain the power to protect, or drawn something magical towards you, depending upon how this object has been constructed, charged or blessed. Powerful charm were usually individually constructed and then enchanted for a set purpose, or person. Usually too drawn something very specific towards its owner, or to protect a physical object; such as a house or car. Some plants, such as the previously mentioned Four Leaf Clover, are seen to be naturally luck. Like an apple when cut in half in a certain way, it revels a 5-pointed star, or Pentagram at its centre. Or, the beautiful Rowan tree. At the base of each of its bright red berries (a colour also seen as being naturally protective), a similar shaped star can also be seen. These fiery looking berries were always believed to be a very powerful form of protection. Thought to keep away negativity, and well as Witches. So, by incorporating these berries into a charm that is to be used for protection, these was always seen as an added bonus; making the charm far more powerful and effective.
Rowan Berry and Nazar Charm for protection.
Charms were also used for healing. Especially spoken charms. Many older Pagan charms were later Christianised, so the could continue to be used as they appeared to be extremely effective. In one Christ was said to have healed a horse that was suffering from a sprain. He was reported to have chanted the following:
“Bone to bone, sinew to sinew, vein to vein”.
However, the very same spoken charm was found in an early German manuscript, being spoken by the Norse All Father; the God Odin while he was healing Balder’s horse.
Many of these age old charm were eventually Christianised, so that they seen as being acceptable to the Church. People obviously considered them worthy of keeping. This way at least they were still able to be used them to help, and to heal those most in need.
I am always very curious to hear about charms, chants, or other interesting ways that people still use protect their home and those that they love. So if you have anything that you still use and are happy to tell us about, feel free to share them here; along with any fascinating tales that are associated with them?
I look forward to reading your comments!
Happy New Moon 🌑
Melanie )0(